In general, web-product delivery systems are used to transfer product from a cutting machine, and place the product in shingled streams. The shingled streams may then be transferred to a stacking machine or stacked by hand for insertion in shipping containers. These web-product delivery systems may accommodate a product with varying lengths, widths, and configurations. Typically, these delivery systems includes one or more top belt arrangements, and one or more bottom belt arrangements.
One problem with these conventional delivery systems is that time consuming adjustments are required to position the belt assemblies for varying product. A typical belt adjustment would require one or more individual pulley re-alignments, belt tension and contour re-adjustments, and the need to remove the belt and then return it to the belt path. This procedure requires hand tools and takes a considerable amount of time to complete. Often extra belts are left on the delivery system to avoid belt replacement downtime. These extra belts, however, are exposed to the operating forces and may be damaged or interfere with production.
Another problem encountered with conventional delivery systems is downtime caused by product jams. Wads of paper products or foreign objects passing through a nip formed between the top belt roller and bottom belt roller will typically create excessive force which may damage the system and cause severe production-stopping product jams.
Existing systems includes knock-down kicker wheels having brushes, paddles, or other similar devices which are designed to hit the trailing edge of the product as it is transitioned from a first belt traveling at a higher speed to a slower moving belt. These methods, however, may be inadequate to prevent the product from buckling as running speeds increase.
It would be desirable to have web-product delivery system that would eliminate the above problems and other problems associated with existing web-product delivery systems.